What to expect from the Windows 8 rollout

TOP STORY

What to expect from the Windows 8 rollout

By Woody Leonhard

By the time you read this, chances are good that Microsoft will have its final, final version of Windows 8 ready.
Basing my take on a few announcements and drawing on a little bit of history, here's what's likely to happen as Windows 8 makes it way to store shelves.

A very good article with clear, concise points. So how can/will W8 help us at all? Indeed, will we be able to use it on our desktop PC's? Bear in mind that our screens ARE over 3 years old - so are unlikely to be "touch enabled" Is W8 on a PC better that W7Pro?

<IMG SRC=http://www.wopr.com/w3tuserpics/StephenElms_sig.jpg> Didn't think that I made my first post here on 5th February 2001...!

Hi Woody...
'er.. quote...'
"Most of us who upgrade to Win8 from Windows XP, Vista, or Win7 will buy a product key and then use the "online-upgrade experience" to move up to Windows 8 — all you need is an upgrade key and an Internet connection.
"
'and er... end quote..'

Hi Woody...
'er.. quote...'
"Most of us who upgrade to Win8 from Windows XP, Vista, or Win7 will buy a product key and then use the "online-upgrade experience" to move up to Windows 8 — all you need is an upgrade key and an Internet connection.
"
'and er... end quote..'

.. and an indestructible external hard drive , I would hope ;-)

Nope. Do the entire Upgrade Adviser routine. Select Custom Install or Install Later after the download completes. Create ISO. Burn to DVD. Done and permanent. I did this with the RP and CP, and there's no reason to believe it won't be available with the RTM.

Be aware -- OEM and System Builder installations cannot be transferred to a new machine. They are tied to the original hardware on which they are installed only. To get the ability to transfer the Windows 8 installation to another computer (legally) you will need the Full Retail License or the Upgrade over a Full Retail installation of a previous Windows OS (NOT the OEM which comes with a PC or laptop).

I realize that disk cloning software and some backup and recovery software may be able to restore to different hardware. But I am not sure the license will activate properly. Calling Microsoft in such cases may or may not result in a valid license activation without buying a new full retail license.

Another pitfall -- As of this posting, if you want to have any non-Windows OS in your boot configuration (for dual or multiboot installations) you should be VERY wary of SafeBoot. At present, it excludes most Linux distros. And many other OSes. The free EasyBCD program can overcome this limitation only if your hardware is not locked by SafeBoot. (There are also other reasons for favoring EasyBCD if you are multibooting or dual-booting with non-MS OSes.) Fortunately, most existing PCs and laptops do not have hardware support for SafeBoot. I don't know whether SafeBoot can be turned on or off, or deselected during the initial installation of Windows 8. The Windows 8 Boot From VHD feature is a definite option for those with concerns about ending up with a SafeBoot hardware lockout situation.

Think about it -- will you EVER need or want to move your Windows 8 installation to a new machine? I think the correct answer is a DEFINITE MAYBE in almost all cases. The Upgrade (over an existing Full Retail previous version installation) is fine for this -- but System Builder is OEM, and not transferable.

Be aware -- OEM and System Builder installations cannot be transferred to a new machine. They are tied to the original hardware on which they are installed only. To get the ability to transfer the Windows 8 installation to another computer (legally) you will need the Full Retail License or the Upgrade over a Full Retail installation of a previous Windows OS (NOT the OEM which comes with a PC or laptop).

Why Win 8? What's the point? Why upgrade?

So, we are told there will be a Win 8, and a Win 8 Pro, and I suppose a Win 8 Enterprise. And we can pay for (or get free with the $40 upgrade) keeping the Windows Media Center we already have in Win 7. Or pay more if we want the Win 8 Pro 'pack'. Not that I know what's in that.

So then there is the question; WHY? IF you have a touch screen based system for someone who can't use a mouse well, or are setting up a POS system, or perhaps a factory floor system, this makes sense. If not, if you are used to mouse and keyboard entry, what is in it for you? Yes, it boots a bit faster, reboots faster, and has some improved tools in Explorer and Task Manager. But what else is there that makes learning a gui not designed for your PC (remember, no touch screen) or for how you are used to using the PC worth the cost of the upgrade or the hassle that comes with it?

Here lies the problem. Microsoft has provided absolutely no reason for most of us to upgrade. Consider past upgrades;

Win Vista - tougher question. Theoretically, it fixed a lot of issues with things like drivers, was more advanced. In reality, too buggy early on, too hard to upgrade to. I had a HP laptop come with free Vista upgrade discs. I read the instructions; after many years in IT as a programmer and more, I couldn't figure them out. Never did upgrade. Laptop now runs 7. The reality - few people found reasons to upgrade. If it came preinstalled, many downgraded to XP

Win 7 - what many people figure Vista was supposed to be. Many of the driver problems fixed, far more stable then XP, good support for 64 bit Windows, but could use some bug fixes and utility updates (the ones in Win 8).

Win 8 - ? My feeling, not just OOPS, but MS playing Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun. The sad part - all they need to eliminate most of the resistance is to put in an easily reached option to keep to the Win 7 GUI as we now know it. No hidden login screen, fully operational START orb menu, etc. A choice.

Am I missing something? Is there something in Win 8 worth taking on the pain?

Do I want touch-sensitive on my laptop? (I recall seeing the HP touch screen laptops a few years ago.) No way! What am I gonna do sit here with my arm outstretched guiding a pointer around the screen with my index finger? My arm would fall off first. On a tablet? OK. But, I really think I want an iPad to go with my iPhone. I'll check out the MS software on a tablet before I buy though,

Aside from that: Woody, more about Mail, please. all you said was "horribly stunted." A ton of us out here want to know about Mail, I'm very sure of that. So, what did you mean by that (you put photos in the same category ... what did you mean about the photos?).

I don't know of anything definitive, but RT will NOT have a Full Retail installation option. Pro WILL have a boxed full retail DVD, last I read.

Confirming previous rumors about simplified SKUs, Microsoft has announced that its latest operating system will come in three consumer flavors: Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro and Windows RT (stands for runtime). The first two will be available at retail, while the third will only be preinstalled on ARM-based devices. This has been reduced from four retail editions of Windows Vista and three for Windows 7.

-- from THIS ARTICLE . The article's date was over three months ago, so maybe something has changed since then.

Personally, I plan to obtain a Windows 7 full retail license, and use the $40.00 Windows 8 Pro Upgrade with the Advisor on top of that. (My current Windows 7 is OEM, and cannot be moved onto a different device should I choose to do so in the future. This OEM startus would be inherited by the Windows 8 Pro Upgrade, yes?)

Woody's article was non-commital: Only, "Distributing Win8: The end of the box?"

Bruce

Even this article has a big MAYBE in it. But no matter to me personally, as the only Full Retail new license I would need to do my own dual-boot and leave the Windows 8 side of it not tied to specific hardware, would be a Full Retail Windows 7 license (so that the Windows 8 Pro Upgrade would result in a non-OEM installation). By offering only System Builder to individuals, Microsoft would be preventing moving the installed OS to different hardware at any time. Also, any VM or VHD so created might be tied to the machine on which it was originally created. Thus preventing reusing VMs and VHDs across a network or on different hardware from where they were created.

The article also missed by a couple of weeks the actual RTM date. Maybe not such a reliable source?

All of which is speculation at this stage. Nothing in the article would prevent me from doing as I have proposed to do, unless the upgraded Win 8 Pro cannot dual-boot with Windows 7 at all. Without SafeBoot support inside my laptop, I fail to see how this is possible, given that EasyBCD will work with Windows 8, last I read. And in the worst case, Windows 7 can be the lead OS in the dual-boot. That definitely works as of this posting.

This doesn't seem to me like insider information from Microsoft at the time. Again, a small but possibly telling point.

They were quoting Mary Joy Foley who has seen a Microsoft document which says;

"The majority of consumers buying the retail license are looking to upgrade. For Windows 8, Microsoft will therefore only offer an upgrade version of Windows 8 through the retail channel. This is the license an end user would purchase who wants to upgrade their current PC from a prior version of Windows to Windows 8."Windows 8: The end of the full retail version?